Posted 9/04/2008 05:33:00 PM by Douglas

I don't really have much of an opinion about the Palin thing, other than the ridiculously alliteratively worded headlines, but the God thing is a bit disturbing:

In an address last June, the Republican vice presidential candidate also urged ministry students to pray for a plan to build a $30 billion natural gas pipeline in the state, calling it "God's will."

"Our national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God," she said. "That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that plan is God's plan."

Well, roll on, Holy Warrior. But what I find interesting is that due to her total lack of any real political experience (if I hear PTA again, I'm going to vomit), all they can talk about is how she ruled Alaska with an iron, federal pork money refusing fist. Well, not so much.

John McCain touts Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as a force in the his battle against earmarks and entrenched power brokers, but under her leadership the state this year asked for almost $300 per person in requests for pet projects from one of McCain's top adversaries: indicted Sen. Ted Stevens.

That's more than any other state received, per person, from Congress for the current budget year, and runs counter to the reformer image that Palin and the McCain campaign are pushing. Other states got just $34 worth of local projects per person this year, on average, according to Citizens Against Government Waste, a Washington-based watchdog group.

Not really the maverick she's making herself out to be, and since this the only thing they've got, so they're running with it. But, she's also really good at wrangling money for her constituency, and quite proud of it.

Take, for example, Wasilla City Council Informational Memorandum 99-62, prepared on June 14, 1999. This little gem outlines some of the state-funded projects that Wasilla City secured that year, including $1.2 million for storm water treatment and $605,000 for pedestrian pathways.

So, $3.5 Million in pork for a town of 9,000 is a "we did it" moment? Actually, it's kinda comforting to know she's a self-serving politician that sways where the popular wind blows.